From Zero to Hero
by XSplashManX13
Summary: After a very forgettable childhood, high school is finally here. Can the young blonde prove the world that he belongs? Or will he fail and drown in self-pity? Being the son of two popular icons was never an easy role to fill-in. A story of self-fulfillment and...love? RokuNami
1. Chapter 1

Introvertial. A word that was constantly used to depict a certain blonde boy who resides in Twilight Town. And for good reason as well. Why? Well, because he's...you know...an absolute NERD. He has to be the most bookish middle-schooler in the century. Not only that, but he rarely speaks to anyone else, even to his family. The boy barely has a so-called "social life".

What made him grow into such a reserved young fellow? Let's have a quick review, shall we?

August 14th, 2000, Mitchelle Helterbrand gave birth to twins- named Sora and two were younger half of four siblings. Both children looked alike, but both lived a tale of two halves.

Sora, the elder twin, was the third child of the family. He turned out to be a perfect fit for the cheerful household. He was cheerful, outgoing, considerate, funny, smart, good-looking(they all are anyway) and extremely athletic. Sora was not only a bright student, but he was also a stellar athlete, just like his elder siblings- Vanitas and Ventus. Subsequently, he was admired, adored, even loved by everyone around him. His relatives would always hand him bouquets of orchids, all the kids idolized him and all the ladies swooned over him.

Roxas on the other hand, turned out to be the complete opposite. In other words, he was the odd banana out of the four siblings. He was the youngest, and according to everyone else, the most inferior of them all, for Roxas was nothing like his parents nor his siblings.

The Helterbrand family was highly-regarded by the folks from Twilight Town for they all knew what they were capable of. The father of the household, Devin Helterbrand, was an all-state basketball player who also posed as one of the state's brightest students. He was student-athlete role model that everyone strived to be like. He had everything, the women, the fame, the fortune, the talent and the attitude. He was like the modern Archie Manning, which was why he was widely-regarded by the townspeople.

His wife, Mitchelle Helterbrand, was also a top student-athlete during her earlier days. She was the town's sweetheart, for she was extremely beautiful, very kind and just a down-right princess. Men went to war for her hand, but in the end, she fell in-love with the town's top athlete.

The two wed shortly after college. Both individuals incessantly denied invitations from various professional sports associations about taking their talents to the professional level. For the couple decided to focus on each other and their chosen professions.

Initially, the young couple earned debasive comments from the general public. However, the couple was so adored and respected that the townsfolk eventually decided to shut up and allow the newly-weds to move along with their lives. The couple couldn't have been any happier with their decision.

As time passed, Mitchelle gave birth to their first child- Vanitas. Vanitas Helterbrand, the eldest of four children, became very much like his father. Vanitas was a phenomal athlete blessed with tremendous strength. He also inherited his parents' wisdom, acing all of his classes since he started his schooling. His parents couldn't have been any more proud of him as his peers constantly praised him.

A year later, Mitchelle had their second child- Ventus. Ventus Helterbrand, took after more of his mother. Ven was a true scholar. He possesses true wisdom and operates shrewdly down the stretch. In other words, he is a full-grown man in a teenager's body. Not only did he garner insurmountable astuteness from his parents, but he also inherited their athleticism.

Another year later, Mitchelle had their twin children- Sora and Roxas. While Sora went on to live up to the family name, Roxas had a rather different life than his parents and siblings. He wasn't an athlete, he wasn't outgoing, he didn't have any star power at all, he was reserved and he hated being around other people. The only quality that he inherited from his parents, was their intelligence.

The thing about being a member of a prominent student-athlete family is that if you fail to show up like your family members before you, you'll probably receive all the tomatoes to the face. People would hate you and criticize you for failing to adapt to the lifestyle that your family has been so accustomed to.

That's what exactly happened to Roxas. He was judged, criticized and even hated by the general consensus. Everyone kept rambling about how useless he was and how he wasn't worthy of being a Helterbrand. If he wasn't insulted, he was neglected. In fact, because of his uniqueness, a lot of people in Twilight Town are unaware of his existence. Not everyone knows about the Helterbrands' fourth child for he didn't behave like one.

For that, he was bullied by his peers. He was treated badly, teased, bullied and even disrespected in front of his parents. Most people would always ramble about how undeserving he is to be a part of the Helterbrand household. For everyone believed that only flawless student-athletes held the name.

Not even his parents nor his brothers were able to protect him. His parents would constantly ask elders to look after their youngest child but would just end up insulting the young boy. His brothers, especially Sora, tried to tell their friends to stop bullying their youngest sibling. Unknowingly, their peers kept raining Roxas with foul adjectives.

Knowing all these, one doesn't have to be a genius to conclude that Roxas had a very forgettable childhood. Some might even put his sanity into question after all of the things that he endured. His family members tried talking him into playing sports, but he simply refused. He wasn't a fan of sports. He would rather stay up all night long reading a book than picking up a basketball.

That all changed though. When Roxas reached the sixth grade, the bullying just went to a whole new level. People would not only hurt him emotionally, but physically as well. He would get beaten up, wedgied, spat on, kicked in the gut, et cetera. He always claimed that he tripped or fell every time his parents and siblings would ask about the ugly bruises on his torso/face.

Eventually, Roxas decided that enough was enough. He has decided. He's going to play sports. The people want the last Helterbrand to show up? Well he's about to give them one hell of a welcome party.

During the summer before the seventh grade, Roxas started training. In the morning, he would sneak his way to the training facility and watch his three siblings sharpen their skills. He would eye them closely, taking in every drill, every detail, every technique and every process. When evening came, he would get out of bed and emulate his brothers' training drills. He would work from 10:00 PM in the evening to 5:00 AM the following day.

Sure it took some getting used to, but when his body adjusted to his athletic workouts, he mercilessly pushed his physical limits. After his training session, he would literally crawl back to his room. He would shower and sleep until the afternoon. Not only were his sleeping habits disarrayed, but his eating habits as well. He started eating ten times the amount of food he usually does. His family members questioned him, but he just shrugged it off claiming that he was hungry.

For some reason, Roxas felt that he shouldn't tell his parents and siblings about his athletic progression just yet. He figured that he would just surprise them one day in a pick-up game or some sort. He just shut his mouth and continued honing his basketball skills. He figured that one day, he wouldn't have to bring shame to his parents and his family name. He figured that one day, he would look in the mirror and finally say that he is quite proud of what he sees.

Unfortunately, his bond with his family weakened over the summer. Roxas was so busy training for basketball that he turned down all of his parents' invitations to go on vacations. His brothers nagged him to death about coming along, but he replied with a resounding no. His parents as well did nothing to stop him. Roxas loved his parents and would've went with them if they asked. But being so kind and understanding, his parents just smiled at him and didn't force him.

The Helterbrands along with their three children went to tours around the continent for a whole month. Roxas, was left alone, since his parents trusted him, they didn't get a babysitter for him. Although they warned their neighbors, for they were worried that Roxas might get bullied again while they're gone.

Truth to be told, Roxas indeed was still bullied. However, this time around, Roxas didn't just waive it off. He used the malicious words of his peers to compel himself to become a better athlete. He used to sulk by his room years ago, now, he destroyed the basketball court. He released his anger and emotions on the hardwood. After some breath-catching drills, he would forget about every curse that was thrown at him, much to his delight.

When he figured it out, he started playing basketball not only to please his parents and to prove himself, but he started playing to obtain solace. Eventually, the hardwood with two rings became his sanctuary. Whenever he would enter the court, he would block out every bad emotion/situation. He's always at peace and at ease during his time on the court. With a new reason to keep him going, he continued his seven-hours-per-day workout 24/7.

Summer eventually ended. His family came back from their trip and reunited with him. After some catching-up, school was finally here again. Unbeknowst to Roxas, his family was actually worried about him. They all knew that the bullying had to stop. Roxas can't keep living like this. Devin promised himself that he was going to protect his youngest child no matter what the cost. His brothers as well, committed themselves into ensuring a safe high school life for their little brother.

As for Roxas, he just kept playing ball. Before he knew it, the next day was going to be the beginning of his high school life. Boy, was he excited. After this year, everyone would know him. Everyone would stop bullying him. He will bring his family honor. And of course, he will finally be worthy of the name Helterbrand.

It's time to show Twilight Town, who the youngest son of Devin and Mitchelle Helterbrand is.


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to High School

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back after a pretty long absence. Sorry about that. Hehe. I've just been really busy, that's all. Since graduation's in about two weeks, my schedule has been hectic lately. Anyways, I would like to thank all you guys who favorited/followed/reviewed my story. I wasn't expecting such positive feedback from you guys. Thank you so much to Sin's Punishment, Candasaurus, kuntalviv and KingdomHeartsKeyBladeMaster for reviewing, thanks to KingdomHeartsKeyBladeMaster, bec1895 and xXEeveelutionAngel-InoXx for favoriting, thanks to all you guys and DuelRoxas16, riml and twostar for following. Anyways, sorry for the long intro! :D Without further ado, here's chap 2! Oh and please, don't forget to read and review!**

The young blonde groaned as he was roused from his sleep by the alarm-clock on his nightstand. He bashed the buzzing device off and sat up to pandiculate. After his morning routine, he robustly made his way to the showers.

A refreshing and energizing shower later, he got to his closet and wore his new school uniform. As he buttoned up his polo, he couldn't help but sigh.

Today was the first day of high school. Now, he wasn't dumb to be unaware of the things that happen during high school. High school is more or less the highlight of every adolescent's life out there. For in high school, everyone gets a taste of what the real world has to offer. The parties, the clubs, the alcohol, the women, et cetera.

Not to mention, there are going to be a lot of judgemental people in high school. However, this did not faze the young teen at all. He's practically used to getting booed by everyone. What's new?

In spite of being accustomed to the bullying, the blonde boy couldn't help but feel slightly frightened at the lone thought of high school. Sure he endured a plethora of criticism in the past, but high school is just a different ball game. No matter what he does, he's going to have to face his fears eventually. He won't always be protected by his family. Not Van, Ven, Sora, or even his parents can save him all the time. He has to learn how to stand on his own legs more than ever.

After getting dressed, he walked over his elder twin's bed and shook his head. There was his ELDER twin, snoring loudly lying spread-eagle on the mattress. The young blonde walked over and shook the sleeping brunette awake.

"Ugh." The sleepy brunette groaned.

"Come on, Sora. Time to wake up. School starts real soon."

The brunette groaned again as he turned to the other side of the bed. "Not now, Rox. Can't you see I'm sleeping?"

Roxas couldn't help but roll his eyes at the rhetorical question. "Well, you leave me no choice."

Roxas walked back to his nightstand to grab his alarm-clock. Some few adjustments later, he sat the alarm-clock near his brother's ear and waited.

_*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!*_

Sora shot up straight from bed, eyes wide and hair tousled. He looked around frantically for the disturbing piece of scrap metal. When he found it, he annoyingly tapped it off.

"Geez bro, you didn't have to do that." Sora scoffed as he pandiculated.

"You didn't have to make it so hard for me to wake you up either. Now shower up! Mom might get pissed again." Roxas replied.

"Alright alright."

Roxas made his way down to the dining area where his mother was cooking a delicious meal for her boys. He smiled and sat himself down.

"Good morning mom!" Roxas greeted.

"Oh, good morning honey!" His mother jovially greeted back as she pecked her youngest child's cheek. "Aren't we up early today?"

"Eh, not really. Dad and the others just got up late." Roxas snickered as he automatically walked over and helped his mother set the table up.

Roxas and his mom finished just in the nick of time. When they finished tidying the table, their other family members arrived.

"Good morning, mom!" The three other brothers greeted their mother.

"Good morning, darling." Devin greeted as he pecked his wife's lips.

Mitchelle went over and kissed her boys. "Good morning to you guys as well."

"Hey, what's little Roxas doing here?" Devin asked his youngest son.

"Yeah bro, why up so early?" Ven added. Inwardly, he wanted to say something like "I bet you're excited for school, aren't you?", but he knew better. He knew that his young sibling downright despised that pathetic place of a school.

"Eh, figured that it would be a good start for the school year."

"Ah, excited for high school, aren't we? Well, I can't see a problem in that. In fact, most of the fun that adolescents experience is during high school. I can guarantee you that." Devin reassured.

"Yeah, sure, I guess." Roxas hopefully replied. He indeed hoped that it would make up for the forgettable past that he had.

"Anyways, why don't you boys eat? Don't wanna be late for work now, right honey?"

Devin chuckled. "Of course not."

"So, you boys ready for the start of your teenage lives?" Vanitas inquired, pertaining to the twins.

"For sure!" Sora replied enthusiastically while Roxas just nodded.

"I promise you guys, you'll be having a lot of fun this year."

"Yeah, just stay away from trouble and you'll be fine, got it?" Ven reminded sternly. "Don't worry though. We'll be here for you guys if you run into some difficulties. Just don't hesitate to come to us for help."

"Don't forget that we're here for you boys too." Mitchelle added.

"We appreciate it." Roxas said with a smile. He was really thankful that he was given such a wonderful supporting cast in spite of his early-life experiences.

"Since you guys are now in high school, you'll be given the chance to join some clubs/organizations/committees. You boys made up your mind yet?" Ven asked as he took a bite of his sausage.

"Not yet at the moment. Although I've already accepted the offer to join the basketball team this season." Sora answered.

"Nice one brudda! Another Helterbrand to the team! Man, this is going to be one helluva year!" Vanitas exclaimed.

Sora just chuckled nervously. Ven however, wasn't at all shy in expressing his reaction to his elder brother's comment. Since he was beside Vanitas, he kicked Van's leg under the table.

"Aw! What?!" Vanitas asked as he shot Ven a glare.

Ventus returned the ferocious glare. A second later, Vanitas realized why Ven did what he did. His gaze softened and he inwardly smacked himself for being so careless. Wow, some big brother he is.

Devin and Mitchelle exchanged worried glances as Ven silently reprimanded the older child. They knew that things like these cannot be avoided forever. It's not that Van meant Roxas harm. It's just that the young family finds it painful that they couldn't include Roxas during a conversation that centers on extra-curricular activities. They were all indeed aware of the bullying that Roxas had to endure. Which subsequently lead to them to be very VERY cautious of their words, as it may offend the young blonde.

Roxas knew what was going on through the minds of his family. He clenched his fists underneath the table. He hated feeling like this. He hated being so pathetic. He hated making his family worry about him. He hated looking like he's a fragile little lily. His parents and siblings are already dealing with their own problems. He hated adding to those particular challenges.

He really has to show up this year. Otherwise, he would kill his family from anxiety.

After a pretty much awkward breakfast, the boys went ahead, while Mitchelle stayed at home a little while longer before heading to work. Devin drove off to work. He offered his boys a ride to school, but since they insisted to walk, he let them be.

As the four siblings were walking down the streets, they conversed amongst themselves. While they were at it, Vanitas, Ventus and Sora all received greetings from those whom they passed by. Everyone constantly praised the three brothers as he/she caught sight of them. It just goes to show how much the three are adored and loved by everyone.

Everyone greeted/praised/complimented/conversed/waved/smiled at the three, while no one paid attention to Roxas. Of course, the youngest child felt that the whole walk to school was an eccentric one. Not only was he ignored by everyone, but he looked like an idiot, a lap-dog who followed his three elder siblings. For he only stood a few feet behind his siblings every time someone would walk over and talk to them.

Roxas just looked forward and kept walking to school. His siblings however, noticed his sudden silence and uneasiness. They were all worried for Roxas. Ven actually tried talking to him, noticing that Roxas went dead-silent when the mob cleared out. Roxas just smiled and didn't talk back.

When they reached school, shrieks and cheers erupted while dreamy sighs, hungry stares and girlish giggles were casted through out the compound. Before they knew it, another mob surrounded the three siblings, forcefully separating Roxas from his companions.

A few shoves, elbows and nudges later, Roxas found himself on the end of the hallway...alone. He shook his head and proceeded to his locker. On his way, he caught sight of his siblings' lockers. It appeared that Vanitas, Ventus and Sora's lockers were all beside each other. He searched for his along the vicinity, but failed to find his own locker.

After repeatedly scouring the area for his locker, he gave up and continued walking down the hall. It really befuddled him. His brothers have their lockers beside each other, while his wasn't even in the same hall as theirs? What was going on? Where could his locker be?

Roxas continued to question himself. He walked down a couple of feet and averted his gaze to search for his isolated locker. He immediately halted as he shifted his gaze. There was a small, rusty, old, broken and partly-vandalized locker. Above it, were the words "Roxas Helterbrand" engraved.

Normally, any kid who's given an ugly locker like this would either cry or whine to his parents about it. However, Roxas isn't just any kid. He's endured enough bullying that the fact that he was going to spend his entire freshman year using this horrendous excuse of a locker didn't bother him that much. He's been through worse. Much worse than this. If this was just day one, then oh was he excited for next time.

He just sighed. He wasn't going to tell his parents nor his siblings about this "special treatment". He's bothered and burdened them enough already.

He opened the broken locker and stuffed his things inside. He skimmed through his schedule and grabbed his books for his first three subjects. When he was ready, he headed to his first class.

Fortunately, first period for Roxas was his favorite one-Math. Roxas LOVED Math. This is also the main reason as to why he is branded as a nerd. I mean, come on. Who in his/her right mind would enjoy MATH of all subjects. Most kids coin it as "the hell on Earth."

Since it was the first day of school, there is a so-called pre-test. A pre-test is basically a test which measures a student's aptitude regarding a particular subject. Roxas' teacher handed out questionnaires to her students and timed them. Roxas, being the wizard that he is, finished fifteen minutes early. Subsequently, he just doodled on his pad and waited.

When the teacher collected and checked the papers, she announced the scores of her pupils. Much to her chagrin, almost everyone in the class failed to get a passing mark. There was only one student who got a passing mark. Not just a passing mark, but a perfect mark. Yep, it was Roxas.

His teacher praised him and even gave him extra credit for his performance. Roxas thanked her shyly, while his classmates snickered at him. When the bell rang and he headed for his next class, he was suddenly tripped by someone on his way out of the door. Before he knew it, his face met the cold, hard floor.

Immediately, laughter roared around him.

"Serves you right, you stupid nerd!" A voice exclaimed as the crowd's laughter got louder and harder.

"Nerds are off-limits here you twerp!"

"Yeah, hang out with your own crowd."

"Eww, stay away from me! You might give me nerd cooties!" A female voice squealed.

"Get lost, geek!"

Roxas got up, dusted himself and tried to walk past the horde of teens laughing at him. However, two steps later, he was tripped once again and landed harder on the floor. The laughter around him increased in volume, the diversity of the insults that were thrown at him expanded and the level of humiliation was just ineffable.

Roxas felt a stinging pain on his forehead. When he blinked, he saw a dribble of red substance run down his face.

Just when he thought that his day couldn't get any worse, he felt someone roughly tug at his blonde spikes. He was forced to look up to someone. He blinked a couple of times before making out the image of the arrogant bastard who was holding his face up like a garbage bag. He was blonde, blue-eyed and very cocky in appearance.

"Go get 'em Seifer!" Someone shouted from the crowd.

The blonde pulled Roxas' face closer to his before grinning devilishly. "You better stay in your lane, you pathetic geek. What makes you think that you can go here and just act all smart? This is MY territory. And there are absolutely NO NERDS ALLOWED IN MY TERRITORY. Now," Seifer tightened his grip on his collar before speaking "I want you to run off with your little nerd buddies and never come back, got it?" He finished before he dropped Roxas' face.

As Seifer left the scene, the crowd went along with him. When the laughters and the insults died down, Roxas was left alone. Roxas slowly got up and went to his locker. He kept his head down the entire time. He ignored the stares and whispers that he ellicited from his walk. Probably because his forehead was bleeding.

Inwardly, Roxas felt so pathetic. He never felt so useless his entire life. Why does every moment have to be so hard for him? Why does every horrible thing have to be his to endure? Why him? There are a lot of cruel, cold and heartless people in the world. Why did it have to be him, a young, kind and misunderstood teenager? Why couldn't it be an evil person who deserves to be treated cruely? Why did it have to be an innocent boy?

He felt tears sting his eyes, but he forced them back. He wasn't going to cry about something like this.

Gradually, his vision started blurring. He found himself in some kind of daze. His head was spinning, he was dizzy, his vision was messed up and he felt incredibly tired. He struggled to his locker and stuffed his math textbook. When he closed his locker, he felt incredibly enervated.

He wobbled his way to his next class.

You can't pass out. You just can't. You have to be strong. You have to go on. That was the mantra that he kept repeating in his head. He figured that he wouldn't make it to Science class and that if he ever did, he would get sent to the clinic anyways. So he headed to the clinic and presented himself to the school nurse.

The nurse panicked upon seeing the bloody Roxas. She immediately pulled out a first-aid kid, asked Roxas to sit on a nearby stool and treated his bleeding forehead. Roxas silently complied and waited.

"There, that should do it." The school nurse told him as she finished bandaging up Roxas' forehead. "Just keep it dry and don't touch it so that it won't get infected, okay?" Roxas just nodded robustly. "Anyways, if you're worried about class, don't be. I'll write you a pass. Just present it to your teacher, yeah?" The nurse got up and scribbled a note from her desk. A few minutes later, she handed Roxas the small piece of parchment.

"Thanks, Miss...ughm..." Roxas trailed, not knowing how to finish the sentence.

"Aerith. Miss Aerith." The mocha-haired nurse answered with a warm smile.

Roxas smiled back in appreciation. "Thanks, Miss Aerith. Well, I'd best be going now."

"Yeah, be careful, Roxas. You sure you don't want me to inform your parents about this? Mr. and Mrs. Helterbrand wouldn't be too happy about this, you know?" Aerith inquired.

Roxas kept his smile and just shook his head. "Nah, I'd do it myself. I wouldn't want to bother you with something I can handle."

"No, it's nothing, really."

"No, I can manage, ."

Aerith just sighed worriedly. "Fine. But please, please take care of yourself. And stay away from trouble, got it?"

Roxas chuckled at her motherly tone. "Of course, miss. See you later."

Roxas grabbed his books and scuttled to Science class. He handed the slip to his teacher, explaining his unusual tardiness. His teacher just gave him a nod and asked him to take a seat. As he made his way to his seat, he earned giggles and weird glances. He just ignored them and continued walking to his spot.

The rest of the day went by with Roxas avoiding everyone else. He ignored every student he passed by, he ditched his brothers during lunch and he just stayed on the bench outside the school building during free period.

All day, there was only one thought in his mind-he had to stand up for himself. He realized that he could no longer keep quiet. He has to stand up and say no. He can't keep absorbing all the bullets when his armor's already busted wide open.

But how was he going to stand up and fight? He isn't as strong and muscular as Vanitas. He isn't as cautious and shrewd as Ventus. He isn't as amicable and out-going as Sora. How was he supposed to defend himself?

He felt so pathetic. He felt so useless. He felt as if he wasn't even man enough to defend himself. No wonder he gets bullied all the time. He started to feel sorry for himself. He tried so hard to hold back the tears from falling the entire day. He didn't want to look even more pathetic than he already is at the moment.

The day eventually ended, much to Roxas' delight. It was an average day for him academically, for he scored perfect marks in all of his pre-tests and participated well during discussions in spite of his fragile condition.

Before he headed home, he went to his locker and kept all his books. As he was doing so, he caught sight of some crimson-colored writtings on his plain white shirt. He furrowed his eyebrows and hastily grabbed the shirt. When he unfurled the piece of cloth, his eyes widened, tears threatened to cascade down his cheeks and his mouth agaped.

In his extra white shirt(which was meant for P.E. class), were the words "GET LOST NERD!" written in red ink.

He so badly wanted to scream out in frustration. He wanted to cry, but he forced back the tears. What in the world did he do to deserve this?

He stood in the hall for a long time, just trying to compose himself. When he realized that there's nothing he can do about the situation, he neatly folded his shirt and stuffed it back in his locker. He fixed his things, grabbed a pair of shorts and headed to the gym.

If there was one thing that would help him relax, it would be the hardwood.

School hours were over, but the gym doesn't close until the late hours of the evening. And since the janitor was an acquiantance of Roxas, he could come use the gym whenever he wanted to. That's what he exactly did.

Roxas turned on the lights, stripped off his shirt, wore some sneakers and grabbed a basketball from the locker room.

He indeed, had a lot of stress-relieving to do.

** A/N: Well, that concludes the second chapter of From Zero to Hero. I'm really ecstatic over the fact that you guys have been reading my story. Please, please continue to read and review. Don't hesitate to ask any questions and/or leave your opinions regarding my story. Please let me know about your thoughts and insights. Reviews keep me going, because it really makes me feel that you guys appreciate this story of mine. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! Have a good day, and thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3: Nostalgia

**A/N: Good day you guys! I am TERRIBLY SORRY for my long absence. I've been busy for the past two months, that's why I wasn't able to post an update on this story. After high school graduation, we went for a vacation in the U.S., then when I got back home, I fixed my papers for college. I'm really sorry you guys, I promise that I'll try really hard to update quickly. Hehe. **

_**Review Reponses:**_

**KingdomHeartsKeyBladeMaster: **Bullying totally sucks! Actually, I was bullied as well during my early years in middle-school. That's one of the inspirations that compelled me to write this story. I do hope that you're okay, and don't worry! People bully you because they have nothing good to say about themselves. Thanks for the compliment! I promise to try and not disappoint you with this story. :)

**kuntalviv: **Thanks for reading! Math is really my cup of tea. Good to see that you enjoy it too. :)

**Sin's Punishment: **I already answered yours...hahaha! :)

**lioncousin: **Thank you! Yeah, Roxas does tend to be the star. Well this won't be a smooth road for him, I can guarantee you that! :)

**A/N: Thanks again to everyone who faved and reviewed this story! Anyways, I've decided to mix it up this chapter. You guys'll see. :) Happy reading! Oh, and please, read and review!**

* * *

The early rays of the sun peeked through the navy-blue hued skies. The light posts started to dim, as the bustling town prepared to face a new day. Stores started to open, engines started to run and food started to fry.

It was the opening hours of yet another eventful day. And for a certain flaxen-haired teen, it was the best part of her day.

There she sat, along the balcony outside her bedroom. She had her gaze casted downwards, towards her beloved sketchpad. Her face scrunched in concentration as the sound of pencil lead wafted through the early morning breeze.

She would steal occasional glances at the picturesque sunrise that seemed to enthrall her with every milisecond. She worked professionally, efficiently and accurately. Her work was so superb, that some might even mistake her for a national artist. That's how good she is.

After doing some polishing on her sketch, she leaned backwards and admired her work. She just had to smile. She indeed did an excellent job.

With a sigh, she dusted off her sketchpad and closed it. She averted her gaze forward, to the rising sun that always captivated her. She was immediately transported to what felt like another world. She was teleported to a world of peace, a world of tranquility, a world of serenity. The young blonde couldn't help but smile at the feeling.

School just started again. She never saw it coming. She was having too much fun over the summer that she forgot that school even existed. Oh how she missed those days. Waking up at eleven in the morning, drawing various sights, writing short-stories, reading novels, chatting with her friends, sleeping at three in the morning, et cetera. She already felt nostalgic even if school just started yesterday.

She wished that she could just stay in her room, sit by the railing on her balcony like what she's doing at the moment and draw all day long. Unfortunately for everyone, all good things come to an end, and she is no exception to the principle.

From the appearance of the rising sun, she deduced that it was close to six in the morning. Regretfully, she pulled herself up and made her way to the showers. It was going to be a long day for her. After showering, she wore her school uniform and proceeded to the dining area.

As usual, she was the second to wake, just after her mother who was fixing breakfast for the lovely family. She helped her mother prepare while they waited for the other half of the family. Minutes later, her father would arrive and greet the both of them. Even more minutes later, her elder twin, all ghillied up and ready, would finally fill the last chair of the dining table.

"So, how was the first day of school?" The father of the household asked.

The elder, auburn-haired girl answered first with a smile. "It was great dad! I got to see all my friends again! Oh, and I made some new ones too."

The bubbly girl's parents couldn't help but smile at her response. "That's great honey. How about you, Naminé? How was your first day of school?"

"Eh, nothing special. Just hung out with our friends, like Kairi said." The blonde answered without looking up from her plate.

"Is something wrong dear?" Her mother asked gently.

This time, Naminé looked up from her meal. She shook her head vigorously and furrowed her eyebrows comically in reply. "No mom, I'm fine."

"Okay hun, just trying to make sure."

"I know mom. It's just that you should start looking after yourselves instead of looking after us. We can handle ourselves you know?"

"We understand that you desire freedom, dear. Kids your age start to deny help from their parents, since they think that they can already handle themselves. We know that you two are responsible enough, without a doubt. However, that doesn't mean that we won't continue to look out for you girls." Her father chimed in,

"That's right! We both know that you can handle yourselves, but you're still our babies!" Her mother added cheerfully.

Naminé was ecstatic to hear those words from her parents. Sure, it sounded corny and lame, but under the hood, her parents only cared for her and her sister. She couldn't have been any happier in under anyone else's wing.

"Aw, thanks mom, dad. It's just that we feel like you're focusing too much on us. You should ease up a bit too. Enjoy yourselves and all that."

"We enjoy taking care of you two, dear. Don't worry about us. We'll be fine."

"Well, the same goes for us! I mean, it kinda works out that way, right? Especially if you have a bubbly, nosey, hyperactive, super-energetic and amiable twin." Naminé answered, mumbling the last part of her dialogue.

"Hey!" Kairi snapped playfully. "At least I socialize!" She fired back as she stuck her tongue out at her little sister.

Naminé rolled her eyes and scoffed in reply. Their parents laughed at their childish display. Soon, the lovely family finished eating breakfast. After exchanging kisses, their father drove Naminé and Kairi to school before heading off to work, while their mother started cleaning.

The drive to the twin's school was a silent one. Kairi had her back against her seat with her eyes closed and earphones on, Naminé had her gaze on her window as she admired the everyday sights, while their father just kept his eyes on the road, occasionally stealing glances at his precious daughters.

Five minutes later, they arrived at Twilight Prep. The twins unbuckled their seat-belts and grabbed their bags while their father grabbed a few bills from his wallet. After grabbing a handful, he turned to his kids.

"Here you go, don't overspend now!" Their father warned as he handed each of them their daily allowance.

"Thanks, dad." Kairi said and pecked her father on the cheek before heading outside.

"Thank you, dad." Naminé did the same and headed out as well.

As their father drove off, the twins started making their way to their lockers. Just as they stepped-foot in the hallway, they already felt a plethora of eyes on them. It's as if everyone in the area surveyed them with keen stares. As much as the twins were awkwarded out, they played it cool. They just continued walking, ignoring the barbaric stares of the boys and the envious stares of the girls.

Eventually, they reached their lockers. Both couldn't help but sigh, finally, the whole staring contest was over.

"What was going on back there? Those guys looked at us like we were walking slices of pizza." Kairi said, a hint of uneasiness in her voice.

"I know right. I seriously have no idea. Maybe there's something on our faces?" Naminé responded.

Much to Naminé's amusement, her sister hastily pulled out her phone tapped the screen to access her camera. Since her camera was in selfie mode, she was able to see her face immediately. She started turning her face in all sorts of angles, checking for a possible cause of earlier's staredown moment.

"My face is perfectly fine." Kairi said as she checked again.

Naminé cracked up, unable to resist her twin's behavior. "What are you laughing at?" asked Kairi.

"I was just kidding, you know?" Naminé replied between fits of laughter.

Kairi rolled her eyes as she tucked her phone back in her pocket. "Very funny, Nami. I'll see you later. I don't want Miss Collins to get on my back again. She got really upset when I showed up late yesterday."

"Okay, later then."

Naminé rummaged through her locker as her sister left. She took out the books that she'll need later and inserted the ones that she'll need before recess in her bag. After closing her locker, she turned and saw a face that made her heart beat erratically.

There, lazily leaning against his locker, eyes closed, was a young boy that she so adored. Naminé loved everything about him. His chocolate-colored spikes that stuck out like javelins, his cerulean-hued eyes that always resembled the skies, his athletic frame, his boyish grin and his cute, absolutely cute face.

Naminé sighed dreamily at the sight of the beautiful boy before her. What she'd give to be wrapped in those strong arms. When her fantasies died down, she noticed something different about her dream boy. He seemed to be restless, as if he didn't get a second of sleep the previous night. He had dark rings under his eyes, his shoulders were slumped and his face didn't have its usual glow.

Naminé unconsciously made her way to him. Her brows automatically furrowed in concern as she got a closer look at him. He looked more horrible than he really did, though she couldn't deny that he was still undeniably adorable.

"Uhm, Sora? Are you okay?" Naminé asked gently.

Sora lethargically opened his eyes and faced Naminé. Naminé couldn't help but blush under his gaze. Sora gave her a tired smile, much to the blonde's utter delight. "Hey, Naminé. Yeah, just tired."

"Really? Just tired? You look bushed." Although he looked half-alive, Naminé couldn't help but think that Sora was still unequivocally attractive.

"Nah, I'll survive. How about you? D'ya get enough sleep last night?" Sora asked as he ran a hand through his brown mane.

The gesture seemed to have heightened Naminé's attraction even further. She really is a lovesick puppy when it comes to Sora.

"Yeah, I got plenty, actually."

"Well that's good. At least someone's fully-charged." Naminé giggled at his words. Everything he did just seemed to make him cuter in her eyes.

Unknown to Naminé, Sora was having the same exact thoughts. Naminé was undeniably attractive, every boy would recognize that fact at first glance. Any boy who wouldn't, is either blind, or isn't even one. Just catching a glimpse of her angelic face or her baby blue eyes is enough to send any teenage boy's hormones into overdrive. Sora, of all people, was of course aware of that subjectively-constitutionalized law.

From the moment he laid his eyes on her, he was drawn to her for some ineffable reason. He doesn't know what it is that makes her special or why he even looks at her in such ways. He simply can't point a finger on it, but there is definitely something about her that sets her apart from everyone else.

One may say that it's because of her looks, but Sora knows better. He knows that he is not drawn to the beautiful young blonde simply because of her other-wordly looks. No. It's something much more than that. Whatever that may be, he doesn't know. But then again, it's not like he's complaning.

"Anyways, why don't we head to class? Don't wanna be late now, do we?" Sora urged, still smiling.

Naminé flushed and smiled. "S-sure. Let's go."

"So, how was your first day at school?" Sora asked as they started walking towards their first class.

Naminé stared at him comically. "Really, Sora? You're going to ask me that? I've been studying here with you since kindergarten and you're going to ask me that?"

"Woah, someone's acting all defensive."

"I'm not being defensive!" Naminé snapped playfully. "I'm just being radical!"

"Well, okay, . I was just wondering what you were up to yesterday. Sheesh, no need to rest your finger on the trigger all the time, Nami."

Naminé blushed at the nickname. She found it incredibly sweet of him, even if it wasn't a romantic reference...or so she believed.

"Okay, fine, I get the picture. For the record though, yesterday was just another day. Nothing mind-boggling really happened." Naminé answered with an insipid tone.

Sora frowned at this. "Something wrong?"

"Nah, everything's good." Naminé replied, trying to shrug it off.

"Nami, stop being so pretentious. If something's wrong, you know that I'll be here for you, right? But I can't help you if you won't allow me to."

Naminé tried to conceal a smile. Her dream boy just said that he'll always be there for her! She couldn't stop the butterflies that were harassing her stomach at the very sound of his words. No wonder she fell for him so hard. She blushed badly at her current, helpless state.

She sighed, knowing that she shouldn't hide anything from someone so kind(and handsome). "Fine. I miss hanging out."

Sora stared at her in disbelief. "You miss hanging out? With your friends? Nami, you see them everyday! How can you possible find that inadequate?"

Naminé rolled her eyes. "It's not like that. I mean I miss going to places with them. Like going to the beach and watching the sunset or simply shopping with all of them."

"Wow, you miss those times pretty fast. It's only the second day of school Nami. Besides, you can go to the mall during the weekends with them. Just call them."

Naminé sighed again. "I know, but it's not like I hung out with them the entire summer. The last time we got together was about a month ago. I didn't see them anymore for the rest of previous month."

Since Sora harbored feelings for the young blonde, he suddenly felt compelled to cheer her up. So he did.

"Okay, I understand. Since you won't stop moping about it, why don't we hang out on Friday night?" Sora invited.

Naminé immediately blushed. Did the boy whom she secretly admired ask her to a...date? Sora seemed to have read her mind, for his cheeks heated up as well. Since he didn't know that she likes him, he tried to sound inconspicuous.

"A-as friends I mean." Sora stuttered.

"Oh..." Naminé trailed, concealing her disappointment. "Sure."

Sora inwardly did a victory dance. "Great! I'll pick you up after school."

Before the duo knew it, they already reached their classroom. The two sat beside each other on the front row before setting their things down their desks. They arrived just in time, for a few seconds after tidying up, the teacher arrived.

"Good morning, class!"

All the students rose from their seats and spoke. "Good morning, Professor Merlin."

Sora cringed at the sight of the seasoned professor. He barely got any sleep last night, and chemistry wasn't exactly the best thing to start his day off with. He sighed as he faced the inevitable.

Throughout the whole session, Sora found himself constantly entering and exiting the dream world. He stayed awake the first ten minutes, then fell asleep. Naminé had to shove/slap him awake from time to time. Luckily for Sora, Merlin didn't catch him sleeping. Everytime Merlin would look his way, he would be pretending to listen.

When the class finally ended, Sora sighed in relief and stood up.

"What was with you back there, Sora? Did you sleep at all last night?" Naminé inquired worriedly.

"Uhh...yeah, of course I did." Sora lied, but Naminé saw right through it. She gave him a stern glare. "Okay, I didn't. Well I got about three hours of sleep, so I guess I still did get some shut-eye." Sora confessed as he raised his hands.

"Why? What happened?"

Sora stared at her, mentally debating on whether he should tell her or not about what happened. He decided to go with the former. She is his friend anyway.

"I'll tell you during recess period. Come on, let's head to our next class."

"Fine. I'll hold you to that!" Naminé exclaimed.

Sora chuckled. "Of course. Come on."

Eventually, recess came along. The two teens surveyed the cafeteria for a vacant table. When they found one, they immediately conquered the said table. It was a small table, like it was meant for only two people. The coincidence embarrassed yet thrilled both at the same time.

"So what happened yesterday?" Naminé asked as she unwrapped her sandwich.

Sora had finished unwrapping his and took a bite before answering. "We were searching for our youngest brother."

Naminé took a second to process what Sora just said. His message wasn't exactly easy to fathom with since his mouth was full. "You have a younger brother?" Naminé blurted out without thinking. She immediately regretted the deed, for the fear offending her long-time crush. Honestly, Naminé thought that the Helterbrands only had three children and that Sora was the youngest. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound offensive."

Sora smiled sadly. "It's okay. Yeah, I do. A younger twin, actually."

Naminé's eyes widened. "You have a twin too?"

"Yeah. His name's Roxas. He looks just like Ven, it's just that his eyes are brighter."

For some reason, Naminé's interest grew. How come she never noticed Sora's twin? "I see. How come I never see him with you?"

"To be honest, I don't know either." Sora replied, sounding very sad.

Somehow, Naminé felt guilty about bringing the topic up. But she was really concerned about Sora's health. She cared for him...deeply. "Oh. So why did he disappear yesterday?"

Sora sighed again. "Well, it went something like this..."

_An exasperated sigh escaped from the blonde's lips. He turned to his siblings sharply with a glare. "Where the hell is he?" He asked with an impatient tone._

_Some more worried glances later, Sora turned to his elder brother with furrowed brows and shrugged. "I dunno. He should've been here by now."_

_"Weren't you supposed to be with him since you have the same classes with him?" The eldest questioned._

_Sora scratched the back of his head before he answered. "Well, I was, until I was enveloped in a circle of screaming fan girls."_

_Vanitas just rolled his eyes at his brother's reply. "Sora, next time, if you can't make a legitimate excuse, just shut up."_

_Sora stared comically at him. "Excuse? Seriously? You think I'm making it all up? I've been surrounded by fan girls the minute I stepped foot on the hallway. You guys were there too. Or was I just hallucinating?"_

_Vanitas ignored his smart comment and scoffed. "Don't give me that crap. You know what Roxas has been through. Do I have to remind you what happened to him the last time we, or specifically, you left him alone in school?"_

_Sora cringed at the memory. All of the sudden, a wave of guilt washed over the young brunette. Vanitas was right. He shouldn't have left Roxas on his own. There were no excuses. He left his younger twin alone in a place that is considered to be Roxas' personal torture chamber. He couldn't help but slump his shoulders and avert his gaze towards the pavement at his clumsiness._

_"If you weren't so caught up in your fan girls, then Roxas wouldn't have been missing right now." Van continued as he reached to grab his younger brother's throat. _

_Since Sora hung his head low in shame, he didn't see Vanitas' incoming hands. However, Ventus did, and decided to take things into his own hands._

_"Stop it, Vanitas." Ventus spat out as he greeted Vanitas' hands with his own. "Arguing won't get us anywhere. Give it a rest. Let's just go and find Roxas."_

_Vanitas glared at him. "Oh, look who's talking. As if you did anything to prevent all of this from happening."_

_"That's the point. I didn't do anything to stop the bleeding, but that's why I'm making up for it by dragging your arrogant butt along."_

_Ventus' words only angered the eldest child further. "Why you," Vanitas started as he prepared to unleash a barrage of curses at his younger brother._

_However, before a word even came out of his mouth, Ventus halted his impending wrath. "Are you coming or what? We don't have all day. Roxas is missing and you're still thinking of some ways to humiliate Sora and me. Are you going to keep racking your brains or are you going to help us find our missing brother?"_

_Vanitas just growled and kept his mouth shut._

_At this, Ventus sighed in relief. "Good. Now, where to start?"_

_"Why don't we check out Market Station? He usually loiters there by himself."_

_"Good point," Ventus smiled "let's get going."_

"We ended up scouring all of Twilight Town until nine o'clock, but to no avail. We decided to return home and just tell our parents about it. When we got home, our parents immediately confronted us about his whereabouts. Just when Ven was about to answer, someone knocked on the door. It turned out to be him. We were all frantic when we saw him. Our parents tried to tell him how worried they were and we tried to tell him how dumb he was by running off like that. He just brushed it off, kissed our parents on the cheek and went to the bathroom. I tried to confront him again before he slept but he was already asleep by the time." Sora explained.

"Wow, talk about stress." Naminé said as she shook her head.

"You said it."

"But that still doesn't explain why you only got three hours of sleep last night."

"I wasn't finished yet."

"Oops, sorry."

Sora chuckled. "Nah. So I lied down my bed and thought about him. About what made him run off, about what I can do to make sure that he never does it again, about how can I make him realize that I'll be there for him, et cetera. Before I knew it, it was already two in the morning."

In some eccentric fashion, Naminé's attraction towards him strengthened. She never knew that Sora could be such a sweetheart. She knew that he was caring, but not very caring. "Aw, you really love him, do you?"

Sora gave her a crooked smile. "I...I guess I do."

Naminé furrowed her eyebrows. She didn't like his expression and the way he spoke. She had a hunch that he was hiding something, but didn't decide to pry any further.

"Why don't we just eat? Class starts in a couple of minutes anyway." Sora said.

"Okay."

The two ate in peace. After finishing their meal, they threw their trash and prepared to part ways.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later. Kinda sucks that I won't see you for a while." Sora remarked, blushing slightly.

Naminé blushed as well, but more prominently. "Y-yeah."

"Later then!" Sora bade. For a moment, he hesistated. Should he, or shouldn't he? He mentally muttered an "oh well" and did something that shocked both of them. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. When his mind registered what just happened, he turned his heels and scuttled away.

Naminé was left glued to the spot, her cheek still tingling from the kiss that Sora gave her. When she recovered from the shock, she smiled. She may have a chance after all.

* * *

**A/N: So there's chapter 3! Hope you guys enjoyed! Please read and review! Oh, and don't hesitate to ask as well! It definitely means a lot! Have a good day y'all!**


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